Meet the Team: Emily Pliscott, Communications Intern

I am Emily Pliscott, a Communications Intern at FAO North America. I grew up in Kenyon, a rural town in Southeastern Minnesota. I graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Economics and Agricultural Communication and Marketing. Currently, I am a master’s student at the University of Missouri in Agricultural and Applied Economics.

I joined the FAO team in October and have loved the conversation around World Food Day. Food and agriculture issues have been my area of interest as long as I can remember, and my passion for agriculture was cemented when I purchased my first meat market goat to raise nearly a decade ago. That first goat turned into years of showing goats through FFA and 4-H, which introduced me to agriculturists in the Midwest.

My dream job would combine agriculture with policy work. I care about advocating for policies that assist farmers, support rural communities, and erase hunger while promoting safety and sustainable practices. These interests led me to intern for Midwest Dairy and Minnesota Milk, Minnesota Farmers Union, and National Farmers Union. I also spent some time working for Understanding Data and Markets.

My perspective on the scope of agriculture changed in college during National FFA’s International Leadership Seminar for State Officers, where I was able to visit farms in South Africa. While there, I was part of a tour of a goat farm known for raising one of the original bloodlines of Boer goats, developing the breed I had owned back In the United States. Learning from farmers and food producers from multiple cultures and climates sparked my interest in agricultural policy and practices on a more global level. 

The work FAO does on food and agriculture to work toward Sustainable Development Goals sparked my interest, and I volunteered on a horizon scanning project with the University of Minnesota and FAO Africa before joining the team at FAO North America. During my internship, I hope to contribute to our office’s outreach and help increase awareness of work done by the FAO.